MATCH INFO

Argentina looking for first place

Argentina's Agustin Ramonda attacks Tunisia's block.

Niterói, Brazil, August 2, 2011 – Argentina won a very balanced match against Tunisia (25-17, 25-23, 25-22) on Tuesday in the second morning match at the Caio Martins Gymnasium, setting up a showdown with undefeated Spain on Wednesday morning for supremacy in Pool B.

Argentina (2-0) will face Spain (2-0) in the first match of the day (10 a.m. local time) to determine first place in Pool B. Tunisia (0-2) are scheduled to play Puerto Rico (0-2) at 12:30 p.m. in the final Pool B match.

On Tuesday, Tunisia held leads in both the second and third sets against Argentina, but mistakes and strong play from the South Americans led to the Africans’ defeat.

Tunisia’s Mohamed Arbi Ben Abdallah led all scorers with 15 points on 12 spikes, two blocks and one ace. Martin Ramos led Argentina with 11 points on 10 attacks and one block.

Argentina led in spikes 47-34 and in blocks 9-6. Tunisia led in service aces, 3-1.While struggling in the second and third sets, Argentina turned to its bench players, with 11 out of 12 seeing time on the court.

The Argentinean team won the first set, but helped Tunisia, which scored eight points on Argentina’s errors, scoring even more than the best Tunisia’s leader, Siala, who scored four points in the set. On the Argentina side, Agustin Ramonda scored five times, all attacks. Argentina surged to a 6-1 lead in the first set before Tunisia started to score. With Argentina leading 13-8, Tunisia pulled to within three with a kill and Argentina’s hitting error. At 14-10, Tunisia’s Ben Abdallah had a kill and Argentina had a hitting error to pull Tunisia to within two points at 14-12. However, Tunisia’s next serve went out of bounds to keep Argentina ahead by three and it still led by three at the second technical timeout (TTO). With Argentina leading 19-16, it scored on an attack that Tunisia could not return and a block by Gustavo Alvarez to lead 21-16. Tunisia called timeout, but Argentina scored on another block to put the set out of reach.

Tunisia came out firing in the second set and took an 8-5 lead at the first TTO. Argentina came back to tie the score at 8-8. With the score tied 9-9, Tunisia took four straight points, including two blocks, to lead 13-9 before Argentina scored on a spike from Nicolas Mendez. Argentina eventually tied the score at 20-20 and took the lead at 22-21 on a kill through Tunisia’s block. An Argentina block gave them a 23-21 lead and Tunisia called timeout. Tunisia’s Miladi Ben Othman came back with a successful attack to keep Tunisia alive. Argentina reached set point at 24-22. Tunisia’s Ben Othman scored with a left-side attack, but Argentina’s Ramos won the set with a spike.

After a close third set, Tunisia led 18-16, but they sent their next reception into the net and Argentina’s Bruno Vinti scored with a block to tie the score. With the score still tied at 19-19, Argentina’s Ramos and Vinti each had a kill to give Argentina the lead. Tunisia called timeout, but their next attack attempt went out of bounds and Argentina continued to the victory.